The Gardner blog

Small guides for atidier, quieter Mac.

• Guides · November 3, 2026

  How to clean up your Downloads folder on a Mac

  Your Downloads folder is probably full of old installers and zip files. Here's how to find what is safe to delete and what might be your only copy.

• Alternatives · November 3, 2026

  CleanMyMac alternatives: 6 ways to clean a Mac, free and paid

  Looking for a CleanMyMac alternative? Compare free tools, disk visualisers, uninstallers and Gardner, and pick the one that fits how you use your Mac.

• Guides · November 3, 2026

  How to clear cache on a Mac (what's safe and what's not)

  Clear app and system caches on a Mac the right way: where they live, what is safe to delete, and why clearing them is not always worth it.

• Guides · November 3, 2026

  How to control volume per app on a Mac

  macOS has one master volume. Here's how to set a different volume for each app, mute noisy ones and keep calls audible, using free and paid tools.

• Developers · November 3, 2026

  How to delete Ollama and Hugging Face models on a Mac

  Local language models take 4 to 40 GB each. Learn where Ollama, LM Studio and Hugging Face store them and how to remove the ones you don't use.

• Developers · November 3, 2026

  How to delete Xcode DerivedData, archives and old simulators

  Xcode quietly uses tens of gigabytes. Learn which folders are safe to delete, the exact commands for simulators, and what to keep.

• Developers · November 3, 2026

  How to free up Docker disk space on a Mac

  Docker Desktop can fill your Mac's disk with images, build cache and volumes. Here are the exact commands to see and safely reclaim the space.

• Guides · November 3, 2026

  How to free up storage on your Mac (safely)

  A practical order of operations for freeing space on a Mac: what to check first, what's safe to delete, and what to leave alone.

• Guides · November 3, 2026

  How to lower other apps' volume while you talk on a Mac

  Stop music and videos talking over your voice on calls and dictation. Learn how ducking works on macOS and how to make it automatic.

• Alternatives · November 3, 2026

  Mac cleaner with no subscription: what to look for

  Tired of subscription Mac cleaners? Learn what free and one-time-purchase options exist, and what to check before you trust any cleaner with your files.

• Alternatives · November 3, 2026

  SoundSource alternatives for per-app volume on Mac

  Looking for a SoundSource alternative? Compare free and paid ways to set a different volume for each app on macOS, and which one suits you.

• Guides · November 3, 2026

  How to check whether a process on your Mac looks suspicious

  Unknown process eating CPU or opening ports? Here's how to inspect it with Activity Monitor and Terminal, and when to bring in a real security tool.

• Guides · November 3, 2026

  How to uninstall apps on a Mac completely, leftovers included

  Dragging an app to the Trash leaves files behind. Here is how to remove an app properly, where its leftovers live, and how to find apps you no longer use.

• Guides · November 3, 2026

  What is System Data on Mac, and how do you reduce it?

  System Data in Mac Storage can swell to tens of gigabytes. Here is what's inside it, which parts you can safely shrink, and which to leave alone.

• Guides · November 3, 2026

  When should you restart your Mac? Signs it's time

  You don't need to reboot every night, but some signs mean it's worth it. Learn how to check uptime, swap and updates to decide.